WHEELS of INDUSTRY "The wheels of wealth will be stowed
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by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arisirg, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads ewer which itruns."—John Beattie Crozier.
• Honouring the C.M.U.A.
If has been officially stated that the Prince of Wales has accepted the invitation of the Commercial Motor Users Association to be the principal guest at its 25th anniversary banquet on October 15th, when he will propose the toast of " The Association."
L.G.O.C. and Autocar Services.
It was announced recently by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., that it and the Southern Railway Co. have acquired a controlling interest in Autocar Services, Ltd., an important motorbus company operating in the Tunbridge Wells district. The object is to avoid overlapping and uneconomical competition:
A portrait of Mr. W. Oscar Pritchard, M.I.A.E., the founder and managing director of Autocar• Services, Ltd., who recently retired, with some notes on the growth of the company, were ' included in our issue dated August 20th. The services cover over 200,miles and include nearly 100 buses.
Sheffield Corporation Balance Sheet Records a Good Profit on Buses.
In February last, as reference to our Passenger Vehicle .Number will show, the Sheffield municipal authorities operated 128 petrol buses, 53 of which were Leyland, 50 A.E.C., 21 Guy, and four Karrier. The seating capacities ranged from 22 to 52. During the financial year ended March 31st, 1929, these vehicles gave excellent service, the balance on the year's working being £22,365.
The total income amounted to £226,578, the traffic revenue totalling £211,789, the sundry-revenue account £309, whilst the income derived from joint working amounted to £13,035.
On the expenditure side of _ the balance sheet is, firstly, the traffic-expenses account. This is recorded at £83,715. Next, the general expenses, which total £18,466, whilst repairs cost £46,017. Power expenses (fuel, etc.) accounted for £33,187, and half the working cost, under the joint-operation systein, amounted to £11,185. The total working expenses are recorded at £192,593. .
The gross profit is stated to be £33,985, on which • are the following charges: — Interest £1.728 and sinking fund
£7,268. Income t a x amounted to-12,623. leaving, as previously stated, a balance of £22,365.
Appropriations to various funds have been
made ; a contribution to capital outlay absorbed £145;. two passenger .shelters cost £262, the renewal fund accounted for £20,455. whilst a contribution of £1,503 to the-special-reserve fund brings the total up to £22,365.
In a Line or Two.
Norfolk Comity Council is constructing a bridge over the level crossing at Roundham.
Motor tractors and parts to a value of £474,776 were exported from the Irish Free State during the six months ended June 30th last.
Warwick County Council has instructed the county surveyor to prepare plans for the construction of the by-pass roads at Coleshill, Knowle, and Westonunder Weatherley.
The tramways committee of Glasgow Corporation has obtained sanction to run a motorbun service between Clydebank and Cartayle.
Out of 1,115,841 motor vehicles registered in France on January 1st of this year, 330,683 were industrial vehicles and 905 lorries running on producer gas. Co-ordinated Bus Licensing.
Following the conference of some 137 local authorities which, as was announced on page 813 of our issue dated July . 23rd, the Lancashire County Council called for the purpose of discussing plans to solve the difficult problem bf the licensing and regulation of road-motor services, it is now announced that the following resolutions have been pugged:— • (1) That there is urgent need -fOr new legislation fur the control and regulation of public-service vehicles for hire or reward.
(2). That a committee representing the county council, county .boronghs, non-county boroughs, urbanand rural districts in Lancashire be appointed to consider the provisions of a Bill for the control and regulation of public-service Vehicles, withpower to confer, if thought desirable, with the appropriate Government Departments, and that a copy of any draft Bill approved by the committee he submitted to each local authority in Lancashire, and thereafter a _further meeting of the conference lie convened by the county council to consider such draft Bill.
(3)1 That the committee consist of 14 representatives, three to be appointed by the county boroughs, three by each -of the -associations of Lancashire noncounty boroughs, urban district councils and rural district councils, and two -by the Lancashire County Council, •
Tile parliamentary committee recommendsthat it should now be authorized to take steps for the promotion of such a Bill in Parliament.
Trolley-bus Proposals at Southend.
The light railways committee of Southend-on-Sea Corporation is considering the question of inaugurating -new trolley-bus routes and has decided, before making any formal recommendation to the council, that a report should be made on the subject of transport.
The Minister of Transport has con'firmed the application of the committee for the loan of £2,700 for the purpose of purchasing traction cables, etc., in connection with the extension of the trolley-bus system from Victoria Circus to the Kursaal.